Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-04-23
IN TEE SUGAR CAMP.
BY JULIA a. SABINE,

The speaker was q young man Of
perhaps twenty-five or three. He
stood carelessly upon his empty sled,
directing his oxen by word, or now
and then the merest touch of the
whip, while he turned partly around
to address the man whose sled fol-
lowed close behind. He was a hand
some young fellow and even the
voluminous, and somewhat ill-ftting
wraps with which he was encum-
bered, could not conceal the easy
grace of his well developed figure.
TWAS bitterly cold. The sled-runners
creaked upon the snow, icicles hung
from the patient oxen's nostrils, and
the two men, returning from the viii
lage whittier they had gone with
sleds heavily loaded with wood a
few hours before, stamped their feet
and slapped their benumbed hands, to
keep the circulation up.
"Wall, l dunno, Norman" replied
the elder man. " Why?"
81 thought if you wasn't goin' to
use your place this spring, mebbe
we might fix up trade, SOS that l
could work it along with mine"
"Wall, p'r'aps we can ; stop and
have a bite of supper as you &c along
and we'll talk it over"
"Not tonight" returned the young
err man. "I'm obliged to you, but
my supper will be waitin' for me.
I'll come over by an by, if you're
goin' to be at home"
mot much danger of my goin'
out agin this cold night" returned
Mr.. Dunlap. "Come over, come
over and bring your sister along.
Well all be glad TO see YOU" And
then he turned in at the gate of his
own farmyard, and Norman Chellis
who lived half q mile farther on,
urged his oxen to a quicker pace.
Farmer Dunlap chuckled to him.
self as he unyoked his oxen and gave
them a plentiful supper. He thought
he could see how things were going
He did not for an instant suppose
that Norman Chellis would have
any desire to take his sugar place, i
it were not for the opportunity such
an arrangement would give him fol
making love to Hetty Dunlap, the
farmers one child, and he was vel
pleased to let such love making &C
on. For Norman ChelIis was fine
young fellow, sensible, kind hearted
a good farmer, and well to do. He
owned a well stocked farm, free from
incumbrance, and it was no secre
that his sister who kept house for him
was to be married in the fall.
The two farms adjoined, anC
Farmer Dunlap often thought that j
they could be combined by the mar
riage of Hetty and Norman, it woult
be a "very handsome property"
AS he'pushed back his plate, afte
eating hearty supper of roast porl
and apple sauce, finishing with ;
huge piece of mince pie, the farme
said, carelessly to his wife:
81 guess Norman'll be over after
spell. He kinder wants to work GU
sugar place this year, along will
his'n; and he said he'd come ant
talk it over bime by, so told him t.
fetch Abbie along"
"What does he want of our suga
place, I'd like to know" said Mis-
Hetty, with toss of her pretty head
while the color deepened on he
cheek.
She understood very well why h
wanted the sugar place and, sly pus
that she was, felt a little thrill of tri
umph, as she admitted the reason t
her own heart.
"That's his business, not mine,
said her father deliberately. "Yo
must ask him, if you want to know.
And Hetty tossed her head agai
and made a great noise clearin
away the supper dishes, as she dc
clared cit was nothing to her"
The family had seated themselve
in the sitting-room, the "work bt
ing call done up" before the expect
cd guests had arrived. Hetty ha
brought from the cellar a heapin
dish of Baldwins, and polished ther
till their rich red cheeks shone.
the cool pantry huge pieher Of eide
was waiting, and corn pepper an
some ears of popcorn lay upon tn
Kitchen table.
Mrs. Dunlap settled herself in he
iavOrite seat before the fire with hi
knitting work, while Hetty opened hi
piano and played some of her father
faVOritn Mrs. For Eornnr nuplo